The Hunted By Lions

The Hunted By Lions
Grade II
A mile and one eighth
Fast Dirt
$300,000
Fillies and mares, 3 years old

Have you ever been hunted by Lions? I think at least 7 (if not 9) of the horses make the trip to NYC are going to find out what it is like. We have a bonafide lioness in the field and two or three others that would like to take You See LA’s well earned title as the best 3 year old filly on dirt away from her the only way possible… By out running her on the track. But before we hold a coronation for the pride of the Nextbonus stable group wait until You See the rest of this dazzling field. NY can’t be prouder that to host this incredible event that boasts not only many of the best 3 year gals on dust but many of the best trainers as well. I am excited to tell you about them all and I think you will be excited by what is certainly going to be one the best G2’s of the racing week! Sit back, buckle up and get ready for a helluva ride.

THE FIELD

PP 1
9/2 K’S LOCK ‘N LOADED(KY)

G Smith ( 138 – 18 – 12 – 20 – 13% )

Tainer vertigo2
(KINGMAMBO x STORM CAT x NIJINSKY II)
Bred by vertigo2

The prefix K’s in front of a horses name means it is well trained and likely one of the top horses in the race. This three year old lady is no exception coming in off 3 straight stakes scores with impressive speed figures. In fact her only mistake is a second 4 back, keeping it from being 7 in a row. The deep closer has impeccable breeding and it helps to answer how this stable group keeps coming up with horses this good. Top breeding plus careful training = winning horses… 9/2 looks generous.

PP 2
9/1 CODE OF HAMMURABI(KY)

N Painter ( 459 – 49 – 62 – 61 – 11% )

Trainer wtas02
(HEATSEEKER (IRE) x EMPIRE MAKER x SEATTLE SLEW)
Bred by wtas02

Another consistent young lady who has been going a bit further than this and looks like the slight cutback might trigger a nice effort. She will need to step up her speed figures to keep up with the top ones in here but it is not impossible that could happen. 4 races back she was making noise in a G1 race over this track, but has seemed a bit lost since then. Could be just rounding into a top level horse or might be about to find out how good the best in her division really are. Interesting if you are looking for big odds to add into an exotic.

PP 3
13/1 X GAMES(KY)

T Johnson ( 140 – 15 – 17 – 12 – 11% )

Trainer vanilla
(A. P. WARRIOR x FULL POCKET x HOIST THE FLAG)
Bred by vanilla

Comes in off two subpar races after a career best 3 back. Is this one best at a flat mile or will the 9 panels suit her? Her only effort at this race distance is not one of her best but it was quite a few races ago. The similar style to horses that have performed better than her is not something you would want to make a basis for a bet. Might be swimming against the tide on Saturday but stranger things have happened. Seems to like hitting the board so consider if you are going into a deep exotic.

PP 4
20/1 DYNASWAIN(KY)

J Barba ( 70 – 4 – 3 – 6 – 6% )

Trainer unreal
(DYNAFORMER x SWAIN (IRE) x SEATTLE SLEW)
Bred by unreal

Has shown an affinity for the marathon length races and is made a substantial cut back in length in her last race. The result was a dominant score so Unreal figures a step up and another minor cutback could lead to even bigger success. The 20-1 odds are more a function of the longer races than a testimonial about her chances in this race. Versatile style might help if the jockey she drew was a bit better. I expect her to be closer to the pace than some of the deep closers and that might help her claim a small check.

PP 5
15/1 SPUNTASTIC(KY)

S Israel ( 272 – 33 – 38 – 27 – 12% )

Trainer deadman
(HARD SPUN x SMART STRIKE x SUMMER SQUALL)
Bred by bonnyd

Another trainers name that tells you what to expect from the horse. The deadman stables are run by the clever and talented donny b. This group is not always blessed with the prettiest of pedigrees but are often rooted in classic sim nicks. This lass is a bit different in that she sports top names across the board. She was a bit short in too races at 8.5 and then had two nice efforts at 10 is this 9 click race right in her wheel house? She is making a big step up and finds foes that are substantially better than what she had been facing. Could be she has bitten off more than she can chew.

PP 6
14/1 APACHE MISSILE(KY)

L Israel ( 126 – 14 – 8 – 21 – 11% )

Trainer blazsadcpo
(INDIAN CHARLIE x SUNDAY SILENCE x BOLD RULER)
Bred by blazsadcpo

This one’s breeding and jockey I am all too familiar with, even if my co-owner deserves more of the credit for her success than I do. She has a lot in common bloodline wise with the very successful real life 2 year old Uncle Mo, who dominated this track as a youngster. Could she have a bit of his talent? We hope so, but she has drawn the unfortunate task of carrying me on her back for 9 furlongs and that might be her undoing. I think she will enjoy the distance and she has every right to improve but it still might be enough. At 14-1 she will see some of my sim bucks on her beak.

PP 7
4/1 STORM DOOR(KY)

B Child ( 623 – 100 – 108 – 102 – 16% )

Trainer laserbarn
(FUSAICHI PEGASUS x STORM CAT x SEATTLE SLEW)
Bred by laserbarn

Low odds and a running style that is not the same as most of the horses in the field is a good combination. Add one of the better jockeys on the grounds and you are starting to see a confluence of positive factors. She has a history of winning every other race and this one comes up on the win side of the pattern. She has turned in several huge figures in her last 5 races and the laserbarn has to be proud of the form she is currently displaying. The only knock I can muster is that her best runs have been a tad shorter and the distance could be a worry. 4-1 smells a touch short odds wise but you only get paid if you have the winners number on the ticket.

PP 8
7/2 YOU SEE LA(JPN)

N Lawton ( 758 – 196 – 123 – 114 – 26% )

Tainer pinerivers
(SPECIAL WEEK x STORM CAT x KINGMAMBO)
Bred by eomer

Now U C the class of the field trained by one of the classiest trainers in the sim. Does anyone ever really root against Nextbonus horses? The crowd in NY will be decidedly behind the race favorite who also draws the tracks best jockey and one of the top dirt riders in simdom. Well I am repeating myself but that is another conflagration of positive mojo to have to go up against especially when you add in a filly that has been banging it out with the big boys of the division all year. She drops well back in company to girls her own age and that might mean bad news for the other 9 hoping to get their picture taken at the end. Very tough to get away from when 7/2 seems very generous.

PP 9
4/1 WINTER SUN(KY)

B Dirks ( 395 – 64 – 64 – 67 – 16% )

Tainer kev
(BLUEGRASS CAT x KINGMAMBO x BUCKPASSER)
Bred by kev

Another top trainer and top pedigree combo in a race full of beauties. while she has been putting up speed figures that match up with You See LA she has been doing it against girls her own age for the most part and that gives the one to her inside a bit of a leg up. You could argue that she has the edge of being a little less battle worn but I am not sure it’s enough to justify the 4-1 versus 7/2. if you want to be the best you have to beat the best and Winter Sun will get her chance at both come Saturday.

PP 10
7/1 WHATISTHATTHING(KY)

R Foster ( 76 – 2 – 4 – 6 – 3% )

Tainer maple6337
(FORESTRY x GONE WEST x DEPUTY MINISTER)
Bred by maple6337

From the far outside post comes what be the lone speed in the race. Her post position likely wont hurt her chances at all since nearly everything to her inside should be dropping back and looking to save some ground. She has put up very respectable speed figures that are comparable with any but the top 3 and she does get a huge break from what may be an uncontested lead. Is she more than a miler

THE PICK

Impossible to go against You See LA but if someone is gonna get to her today I think its going to be K’s Locked and Loaded… Storm Door will be there at the end as well. The will all chase Whatisthatthing for a mile before those three surge by. I think You See LA will be the one in the winners circle when the dust settles but I can’t wait to see this race.